(Guide & H.O.D Department of Kaumarbhritya, College of Ayurveda And Reaserch Center, Akurdi-Pune)

ABSTRACT:

India is a country with a rich and varied cultural heritage where Hindu Dharma is held in high esteem. Hindu dharma is not a religion but a way of life, which has been refined over millennia to help individuals lead successful lives. The unique relationship between Samskara (sacraments) and culture shapes one’s lifetime by defining moments or goals that nourish, purify and grant dignity and decorum. The goal of samskara is to improve the culture as a whole. The samskaras are performed for the physical, social and religious development of the individual. Ancient Hindu mythology described sixteen Samskara for a person. This article will described in detail eight samskara for growth and development of children, along with their medical relevance: Jatakarma (birth rituals), Namkaran (naming the child), Nishakraman (first outing), Annaprashan (first feeding), Chudakarna (head shaving), Karnachedan (piercing the earlobes), Upanayana (thread ceremony) and Vedarambha (start of formal education).